“There aren’t any. If I am to flirt at all it will be with Don Felipe. He is well seasoned and can stand it. Good night, beloved. Don’t lie awake thinking over my peccadilloes. They are really the most harmless in the world. Good night,” and Patty flitted up the stairway in the wake of Paulette. “Did you have a pleasant walk home?” Patty asked her friend. “No,” was the reply. “Your Englishman was as mopey as an owl. He knows no French and is none too talkative in English. Why did you permit him to walk with me when he does not know my language?” “I thought a change would be good for him,” returned Patty. “But not for me.” “For you, too, perhaps. Why don’t you teach him French? He ought to know it.” “No, thank you, I have all I can do with Spanish.” “So I think have I,” responded Patty. “One would have to be very fluent to direct a houseful of servants properly, wouldn’t one?” Paulette vouchsafed no answer to this, and Patty saw that she was none too well satisfied with her evening. CHAPTER VIII A ROMERIA This being the season of the year for _fiestas_ and _romerias_ one of these was always in prospect even though Don Juan suggested only such as might be most interesting. That at the little old town of Celorio promised certain unusual features and all prepared to go. “What is the difference between a _romeria_ and a _fiesta_?” asked Patty. “A _romeria_ is a pilgrimage, properly speaking; a _fiesta_ is simply a feast day in honor of some special saint or some particular Madonna,” Don Juan told her. “Many pilgrims go to the _romeria_ of Covadonga on account of the miraculous image there which the faithful regard with much veneration. A _fiesta_ in our little village may be a very simple affair; a _romeria_ is more important, for it brings visitors from miles around. It has been a great many years since I went to Celorio, but Tomás says the _romeria_ there has lost none of its interesting features and that there will be a great many promisers this year.” “Promisers? And what are they?” “They are those who, during some illness of theirs or of someone near and dear, promise a white robe to the Virgin if they recover. I will not spoil the effect by telling you more. That is enough to make you understand what you will see. The very devout do many such things.” “What other things are done?” “Sometimes a very strict and wealthy lady will mortify the flesh by promising to wear only a certain color for so many weeks or months. The more unbecoming the color the greater the sacrifice. Purple is often chosen as being very trying to a sallow skin,” Doña Martina remarked. “I’m afraid,” said Patty with a smile, “that I’d never get into heaven if it depended upon such a sacrifice to my vanity. I’d look a fright in purple, wouldn’t I, Tomás?”